Child abuse in India: an empirical report on perceptions

Abstract

A small but growing body of literature has begun to provide an understanding of child abuse in India. However, there is a dearth of empirical evidence to support general observations. Because it is believed that child abuse in India has not received adequate attention primarily because of a general lack of sensitivity to the issue, this study sought to assess perceptions of child abuse by Indian nationals. Comparisons between social workers, other human service professionals, and those not involved in human services fields revealed that there was negligible variation in perceptions of the severity of different forms of abuse. Cross-cultural comparisons with a U.S. study indicated some differences in perceptions. Implications of the findings are discussed.

PIP: Attitudes and perceptions of child abuse in India among urban professionals were examined. Findings are preliminary, because the sample size was small and nonrandom. Generalized results indicated that some human services professionals were no more or less sensitive than the untrained to the effects of abusive behavior. Comparisons with other studies, such as those by Giovannoni and Becerra, indicate a strong cultural context, which makes transportation of intervention and training across national boundaries questionable. The Indian view holds the child as parental property, subject to discipline as parents find appropriate. Battering of children in India is not seen as detrimental to the child, as it is in the US. Definitions of child abuse in India need to be operationalized. Attention has focused on child abuse in India since 1988, with the beginning of discussions, media awareness, and national seminars. The aim of this examination was to determine whether cross-cultural exchanges and knowledge are possible, or whether professionals from different nations differ in their perceptions of potentially abusive situations. Background information is provided on the nature of child abuse and Western and Indian definitions. An instrument developed by Giovannoni and Becerra consists of 78 vignette pairs which depict child maltreatment in 13 areas: cleanliness, clothing, drugs/alcohol, educational neglect, emotional neglect, fostering delinquency, housing, medical neglect, nutrition, parental sexual norms, physical abuse, sexual abuse, and supervision. The India sample of 133 social workers, human services professionals, and nonhuman service professionals from Delhi, Bombay, and Hyderabad completed questionnaires, which included the scaled evaluation of 63 vignettes of abusive behavior by parents. Maltreatment of children in India was identified as 1) societal abuse, 2) physical maltreatment, 3) sexual abuse, and 4) nonphysical maltreatment. The analysis focused on stem vignettes, because "consequences" to the child were problematic. Child prostitution was considered the most serious offense and poor housing conditions the least. Differences were found between professional groups for all areas except child prostitution and sexual abuse. Comparisons were also made to US findings in 1979. In the Indian sample, the perceive seriousness varied with the nature of the abuse.